Ngige Inaugurates Panel To Probe Alleged N3.4bn NSITF Fraud
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, on Thursday, inaugurated a Presidential Joint Board and Audit Investigation Panel to probe the alleged N3.4 billion financial infractions levelled against suspended Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Adebayo Somefun, and three other directors.
While inaugurating the investigative panel chaired by Ibrahim Khaleel, representing the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, at the board of NSITF, Ngige said the eight-member committee has three weeks to submit its report.
Ngige was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, William Alo.
He said it was worrisome to hear issues emanating from the management of the funds entrusted to NSITF, especially when seemingly done in transgression of extant rules, regulations and laws guiding due processes.
Recall that Somefun, three directors and 10 management staff were suspended by the minister over allegations of financial infractions and procurement breaches.
The minister said: “The NSITF is a government-owned human-centred entity, which was established to address the socio-economic needs in the world of work by providing compensation to insured employees who suffer from occupational diseases, sustain injuries or disability from accident or even death during or in the course of employment.
“In order to discharge this very noble mandate, the NSITF enabling Act provides that employers of labour should make financial contributions to the Fund of the NSITF.
“This includes employers in both the private and public sectors of the formal economy and the NSITF is the statutory custodian of these funds.
“It becomes very worrisome when there are issues surrounding and emanating from the management of these funds entrusted to NSITF, especially when seemingly done in transgression of extant rules and laws guiding due processes for the management of funds and general conduct/ethics in the public service.
“This becomes even more worrisome when preliminary investigations yield alarming results.” Responding, Chairman of the panel, Khaleel, promised that the committee will do its duty “justly and with the fear of God and that nobody will be cheated.”
